The staff of Balranald attended the two day inservice on L.T.L.L. on Monday and Tuesday. Our action plan will be posted shortly.
Thank you to Mick and Charles for their informative and entertaining sessions. Now the work begins.
Hi to all at Balranald! How are you going with that action plan...the other WIKI users can't wait to hear about your project and what you are up to!!! Don't keep us in suspense!!
Jane 28/4/10 Balranald's Action Plan - Behaviour Management Preamble:
Immediately on our return to St. Joseph's, the staff reviewed our existing Behaviour Development and Management Policy (circa 2006). After professional dialogue, the policy was amended to be more in line with current practices. Professional reading has been made available with the specific focus on bullying - what it is, prevention and intervention.
1.Gathering information from staff, students and parents - what will be the most effective means of determining current knowledge of our Behaviour Development and Management Policy?
1a. Parents to complete survey created by staff to determine their understandings and provide feedback on current policy and practice.
1b. All classroom teachers to conduct interviews with their students, focusing on the following questions:
Do the students feel safe at our school both in the playground and in the classroom?
Do the students know our baseline behaviours?
Do the students know what the baseline behaviours mean?
Do the students know the consequences of not following the baseline behaviours?
How does our school congratulate or reward students who follow our school baseline behaviours?
Do the students feel that they are treated fairly and are listened to by the teachers?
What do the students understand the term bullying to mean?
Are there any suggestions/ ideas for change?
The interviews will be conducted Week 3 Term 2. Teachers will bring their results to Week 4 staff meeting to discuss and analyse. Lead Teacher and Principal will formulate an online survey for parents to complete, based around similar questions to those posed to students. Parents will be informed on how to complete the online survey in Week 4's newsletter, with the closing date for participation Friday 14th May, 2010. Lead Teacher and Principal will analyse the online data and report findings at Week 5 staff meeting.
2. Creating an Evidence Based Action Plan
2a. Collated data is presented and discussed during the Week 5 staff meeting. Teachers to create a timeline for implementing recommendations based on the findings and areas of perceived need.
3. Presenting Feedback to Stakeholders
3a. In the first instance we will provide a summary of the findings via the school newsletter and discussions with students.
4. Addressing the Areas of Change
4a. As a means of addressing areas of identified need, the following options may be explored:
Whole School Assembly
Parent/Teacher Interviews
Regular focus in the newsletter
Family Group Meetings
Gathering Evidence of Change
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. UPDATE: 1st June, 2010.
Coo-ee from the deep south!
I've just added a post re: our progress thus far. Looking at our page, we are running behind schedule...... those who know and love us will understand!!!!!
We completed our action plan during our staff meeting yesterday.
One unexpected and invaluable learning through our participation in this process is the valuable insights gained from the students via the interview process, especially the senior students in regard to what they think and how they feel about our approaches to behaviour management.
The ball is well and truly in my court to complete a summary of the findings to go home to parents and to share with the students. One obstacle I have faced in terms of time management is the amount of time spent conducting the senior student's interviews. While they have taken a long time, the data gathered is very valuable - with the insight gained more powerful than any paper survey! Well worth the effort.
Have a read of the post, as it gives a brief overview of some of the findings - I will be back to fill in the gaps very shortly!
Happy Wiki writing,
Nat Lay Thanks a lot Nat for updating us on your wonderful project. They always say if you want to know something ask the students!!! You have obviously benefitted greatly from this high level of student involvement! Jane June 1 2010
P.S. Are you interested in any resource ideas around behaviour etc..as I am sure your fellow wiki friends would be glad to provide some ideas and I will search some out material for you also
Nat, the personal interviews with the students sounds like a wonderful idea. If you found it time consuming it would be almost impossible in a bigger school, wouldn't it? I suppose a sample of students could be interviewed personally, though.you would certainly get deeper responses in an interview and I think it would help the students see how serious you are about seeking their opinions. Terrific work.
Trish
Balranald is back!
Greetings everyone in wikiland. It is great to be back for the 2011 school year. I have taken on full responsibility for the St Joseph's wiki this year - you will have to bear with me!!!!
As I am sure is the case with everyone, we have had a very busy start to the 2011 school year. We have started the year with 52 students. We welcomed 7 new kinders to our great school, as well as 4 other students in various grades.
We farewelled Simone Harding at the end of the year as she moved to Forbes to work in our CEO . We have since welcomed Georgina Robinson to our staff. Georgie has settled in beautifully and is doing a great job with Year 5/6.
On the LTLL front, we have been working towards expanding our ideas related to gauging our parents' opinions. Our behaviour management has been under review, and was the catalyst for the work we have been completing in this area.
An exciting development has been our inclusion in the 'Better Buddies' program. This program is part of the great work undertaken by the 'Alannah and Madeline Foundation'. We are thrilled to have been selectedThis is a very exciting development and those who are attending the Hay Last Hoorah will learn how we are incorporating this great program into our current practice.
Stay tuned!!!!
It is great to be back and I am looking forward to catching up with my southern friends as well as CEO staff and the enigmatic Mick and Charles!
See you on the 14th!
Nat
PS: I will now attempt to add a link to the 'Better Buddies' website - there are some great ideas and it will give you an idea of what we are very proud to be part of!Better Buddies program
Hi Nat and the staff at St. Joseph's. Just wondering how your Better Buddies program is going since you last posting. Simone Harding June 8, 2011
Snapshots of Balranald's Final Presentation, 14th March 2011:
The staff of Balranald attended the two day inservice on L.T.L.L. on Monday and Tuesday. Our action plan will be posted shortly.
Thank you to Mick and Charles for their informative and entertaining sessions. Now the work begins.
Hi to all at Balranald! How are you going with that action plan...the other WIKI users can't wait to hear about your project and what you are up to!!! Don't keep us in suspense!!
Jane 28/4/10
Balranald's Action Plan - Behaviour Management
Preamble:
Immediately on our return to St. Joseph's, the staff reviewed our existing Behaviour Development and Management Policy (circa 2006). After professional dialogue, the policy was amended to be more in line with current practices. Professional reading has been made available with the specific focus on bullying - what it is, prevention and intervention.
1. Gathering information from staff, students and parents - what will be the most effective means of determining current knowledge of our Behaviour Development and Management Policy?
1a. Parents to complete survey created by staff to determine their understandings and provide feedback on current policy and practice.
1b. All classroom teachers to conduct interviews with their students, focusing on the following questions:
- Do the students feel safe at our school both in the playground and in the classroom?
- Do the students know our baseline behaviours?
- Do the students know what the baseline behaviours mean?
- Do the students know the consequences of not following the baseline behaviours?
- How does our school congratulate or reward students who follow our school baseline behaviours?
- Do the students feel that they are treated fairly and are listened to by the teachers?
- What do the students understand the term bullying to mean?
- Are there any suggestions/ ideas for change?
The interviews will be conducted Week 3 Term 2. Teachers will bring their results to Week 4 staff meeting to discuss and analyse. Lead Teacher and Principal will formulate an online survey for parents to complete, based around similar questions to those posed to students. Parents will be informed on how to complete the online survey in Week 4's newsletter, with the closing date for participation Friday 14th May, 2010. Lead Teacher and Principal will analyse the online data and report findings at Week 5 staff meeting.2. Creating an Evidence Based Action Plan
2a. Collated data is presented and discussed during the Week 5 staff meeting. Teachers to create a timeline for implementing recommendations based on the findings and areas of perceived need.
3. Presenting Feedback to Stakeholders
3a. In the first instance we will provide a summary of the findings via the school newsletter and discussions with students.
4. Addressing the Areas of Change
4a. As a means of addressing areas of identified need, the following options may be explored:
Parent/Teacher Interviews
Regular focus in the newsletter
Family Group Meetings
Gathering Evidence of Change
..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
UPDATE: 1st June, 2010.
Coo-ee from the deep south!
I've just added a post re: our progress thus far. Looking at our page, we are running behind schedule...... those who know and love us will understand!!!!!
We completed our action plan during our staff meeting yesterday.
One unexpected and invaluable learning through our participation in this process is the valuable insights gained from the students via the interview process, especially the senior students in regard to what they think and how they feel about our approaches to behaviour management.
The ball is well and truly in my court to complete a summary of the findings to go home to parents and to share with the students. One obstacle I have faced in terms of time management is the amount of time spent conducting the senior student's interviews. While they have taken a long time, the data gathered is very valuable - with the insight gained more powerful than any paper survey! Well worth the effort.
Have a read of the post, as it gives a brief overview of some of the findings - I will be back to fill in the gaps very shortly!
Happy Wiki writing,
Nat Lay
Thanks a lot Nat for updating us on your wonderful project. They always say if you want to know something ask the students!!! You have obviously benefitted greatly from this high level of student involvement! Jane June 1 2010
P.S. Are you interested in any resource ideas around behaviour etc..as I am sure your fellow wiki friends would be glad to provide some ideas and I will search some out material for you also
Nat, the personal interviews with the students sounds like a wonderful idea. If you found it time consuming it would be almost impossible in a bigger school, wouldn't it? I suppose a sample of students could be interviewed personally, though.you would certainly get deeper responses in an interview and I think it would help the students see how serious you are about seeking their opinions. Terrific work.
Trish
Balranald is back!
Greetings everyone in wikiland. It is great to be back for the 2011 school year. I have taken on full responsibility for the St Joseph's wiki this year - you will have to bear with me!!!!As I am sure is the case with everyone, we have had a very busy start to the 2011 school year. We have started the year with 52 students. We welcomed 7 new kinders to our great school, as well as 4 other students in various grades.
We farewelled Simone Harding at the end of the year as she moved to Forbes to work in our CEO . We have since welcomed Georgina Robinson to our staff. Georgie has settled in beautifully and is doing a great job with Year 5/6.
On the LTLL front, we have been working towards expanding our ideas related to gauging our parents' opinions. Our behaviour management has been under review, and was the catalyst for the work we have been completing in this area.
An exciting development has been our inclusion in the 'Better Buddies' program. This program is part of the great work undertaken by the 'Alannah and Madeline Foundation'. We are thrilled to have been selectedThis is a very exciting development and those who are attending the Hay Last Hoorah will learn how we are incorporating this great program into our current practice.
Stay tuned!!!!
It is great to be back and I am looking forward to catching up with my southern friends as well as CEO staff and the enigmatic Mick and Charles!
See you on the 14th!
Nat
PS: I will now attempt to add a link to the 'Better Buddies' website - there are some great ideas and it will give you an idea of what we are very proud to be part of!Better Buddies program
Hi Nat and the staff at St. Joseph's. Just wondering how your Better Buddies program is going since you last posting. Simone Harding June 8, 2011